2010: Chennai Super Kings
Having won the IPL a few months back, the Super Kings were on top of their game against some high-quality opponents. The South African conditions, where the ball came nicely on to the bat and helped their bowlers suited the Southern giants perfectly. Suresh Raina and Murali Vijay carried their bats with aplomb while Mike Hussey was sheer class.
R Ashwin was a great find, with his steady off-spinners winning Chennai a lot of games. MS Dhoni’s captaincy was spot-on. He did get a scare before the semi-finals but when they bulldozed RCB in Durban, there was no doubt that the Yellows were destined to make history- the first Indian team to win the CL T20 and they did.
The Warriors were no match at the Wanderers despite some pyrotechnics at the top of the order. The winning runs, befittingly came from Dhoni’s bat and the whole ground reverberated with chants of proud Indian fans- the contest in spirit had turned into a battle between South Africa and India but no one was complaining. The quality of cricket was just too riveting.
2009: New South Wales Blues
Also called The Speed Blitz, the New South Wales Blues impressed fans the world over with their professional approach to the game, and played some extraordinary cricket to clinch the title in the inaugural edition in 2009.
Under Simon Katich’s leadership, the Australian team was rated as one of the best and had experts put their money on them much before the tournament had started.
The team, playing with eight contracted players of the national squad, didn’t disappoint and with their hard, consistent play, proved to be deserving winners.
David Warner and Phil Jacques were stunning at the top of the order, ending up as the tournament’s second and third highest scorers. Their pyrotechnics were complemented by the bowling exploits of Moises Henriques, who finished as the second highest wicket taker with 10 scalps to his name.
With Stuart Clark and Brett Lee providing the experience in the bowling ranks, the Blues were never short of players to call upon when a breakthrough was needed.
Of course, the Australians were a top-class fielding outfit, something that came to the fore time and again in crunch situations – and ultimately proved to be a crucial factor in their final win over the stylish Trinidad & Tobago.
After missing out on qualification last year, the Speed Blitz are back in the mix for this year’s tournament – a cause for excitement amongst cricket fans the world over.
